Hypertext Webster Gateway: "pitiful"
From Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913) (web1913)
Pitiful \Pit"i*ful\, a.
1. Full of pity; tender-hearted; compassionate; kind;
merciful; sympathetic.
The Lord is very pitiful, and of tender mercy.
--James v. 11.
2. Piteous; lamentable; eliciting compassion.
A thing, indeed, very pitiful and horrible.
--Spenser.
3. To be pitied for littleness or meanness; miserable;
paltry; contemptible; despicable.
That's villainous, and shows a most pitiful ambition
in the fool that uses it. --Shak.
Syn: Despicable; mean; paltry. See {Contemptible}. --
{Pit"i*ful*ly}, adv. -- {Pit"i*ful*ness}, n.
From WordNet (r) 1.7 (wn)
pitiful
adj 1: inspiring mixed contempt and pity; "their efforts were
pathetic"; "pitiable lack of character"; "pitiful
exhibition of cowardice" [syn: {pathetic}, {pitiable}]
2: bad; unfortunate; "my finances were in a deplorable state";
"a lamentable decision"; "her clothes were in sad shape";
"a sorry state of affairs" [syn: {deplorable}, {distressing},
{lamentable}, {sad}, {sorry}]
3: deserving or inciting pity; "a hapless victim"; "miserable
victims of war"; "the shabby room struck her as
extraordinarily pathetic"- Galsworthy; "piteous appeals
for help"; "pitiable homeless children"; "a pitiful fate";
"couldn't rescue the poor fellow"; "his poor distorted
limbs"; "a wretched life" [syn: {hapless}, {miserable}, {misfortunate},
{pathetic}, {piteous}, {pitiable}, {poor}, {wretched}]
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